Blue Skies
by Ramenism
Summary: Epic/Romance Fic. The war suddenly comes to a halt. Sakura and Naruto decide they cannot progress unless they leave and find themselves chasing legends of the past. As the plot thickens, so do their relationships with one another, and Shinobi world learns that love can be found in the most unexpected places. One decided pairing: Sakurax Itachi
1. Blue Skies

Blue Skies

As the war between light and darkness continues

Heroes and villains become harder to identify

Kindred spirits separated at birth

Fighting for their place in time to be solidified

The clock ticks faster and faster

While time runs a marathon in this Babylon

But see, the end is only the beginning

The beginning of the calm before the storm

x

Aozora cried silently as Imawa braided her long hair. Imawa sighed as her partner started heaving in sobs once more.

"I can't protect them if I'm not there."

Imawa gently pulled her fingers through the younger woman's hair, comforting her.

"There is nothing we can do but wait, my friend."

The two woman sat in silence.

"Why can't we enter their dimension? We have been going to and forth at our leisure for as long as I've known..." Aozora questioned, her face still pink from crying.

Imawa adjusted her kimono irritably,

"It's all those damn boy's fault. When Rikudo Sennin, the Sage of the Six Paths, had his children...that is what started all of this. And to think that people give credit to the younger brother for creating the Uchiha clan. I've given birth to a _number_ of things...that damn clan, included.

Aozora laughed, "It's only natural that he became the leaders of those you birthed. Its not like you could have lead them. We do not have that privilege..."

Imawa began to brush her hair, "I do not wish to talk of the things I cannot do. How I _do _wish I could have raised my own."

"Maybe if you hadn't destroyed the world they wouldn't have punished _both_ of us," Aozora glared at her counterpart.

Imawa 'hmphed' and looked at her reflection in the vanity. The link between the two dimensions had slowly began to weaken since the birth of the sons. It was quite disturbing. They had not been able to enter the first dimension in some time, but they hadn't been able to see only recently.

"Aozora...I thought maybe before I was just imagining it...but there is a man...no- _parts_ of a man that keep entering our dimension. An Uchiha."

"An Uchiha? From the first dimension? That's unheard of. What was his character?" the other asked.

"I don't know," Imawa replied, worried, "Though I can't imagine why one of them would want to be in the second dimension. Humans are so silly."

The two women looked at the each other, trying to decipher what this mess was.

"This is not what their creator intended."

Aozora sighed,

"He would have been so disappointed. Rikudo is turning in his grave, I just know it."

x

"I know I'm all smiles and sunshine, but seriously. Fuck this shit," Naruto spat out, ringing the blood out of his pants. Clad in only his boxers, he was washing his clothes in the stream.

They had spent the last three days fighting constantly. Obito and Madara had their way with what was left of Konoha and earlier that day they disappeared.

Sakura slowly laid her worn body onto the hard earth and grunted in agreement. They had fortified a small clearing and were waiting for the others to show up so they could recoup.

"I just feel like...there are so many things our village could have done to prevent any of this, you know?" Sakura said, somewhat to herself. Naruto had told her all that had happened in confidence.

Naruto said nothing as he scrubbed his pants. He agreed with her though. It all started with how konoha dealt with the Uchiha clan, the Kyuubi, and pretty much all related subjects.

"We should just leave."

Sakura sat up immediately and looked at him.

"What?" She whispered. She could not believe her ears. And she could not believe how she did not feel as alarmed as she led on.

Naruto looked at her, his eyes wide and then turned back to his washing.

"Its not like we'd be abandoning them. I just want to help in a way that isn't this." he trailed off quietly.

"Think about what you're saying, Naruto..."

"Think about what I'm saying?" Naruto yelled, not looking at her still, "Look at all the things I've given for this village, even the things I gave before birth!"

He slumped. He thought grievously of his parents, and more so Sasuke.

"Can you blame me, Sakura?"

They sat in silence for a few minutes. While Naruto had overcome his hatred and darkness of the past, the present we becoming harder than ever.

"You know Naruto, I've been having the same thoughts lately," she started, "The elders in this village will not let us do what we need to in order to win. We need information. I think we could do some damage from an external point."

Naruto was startled, "Really?"

"Well...yes. The damn elders don't let you do anything because you're a vessel and I'm stuck being a medic-nin 24/7. Obviously, you and Sasuke are the key to this whole war, and nobody will let us do anything. Its quite frustrating, " Sakura said, staring at the sky intently. She knew she was being selfish but another reason for wanting to help was to get Sasuke back. Even now, she still loved him, even after all he had done.

Naruto was speechless. He laid back down and stared up at the stars himself, Sakura's last words heavy in the air. The breeze was chilly and relaxed his overheated and overused body.

It was true though, Sakura thought. Ever since Madara had made himself known, she knew that things were way more complicated than they'd seemed. And not on the basic level of him being more powerful and evil.

It was all so...elusive.

x

Imawa was ready to punch the living shit out of Aozora. They were trying to meditate and the stupid bitch couldn't stop fidgeting. Right as she was going to open her mouth they felt a pulse that knocked them both over.

"Imawa!" Aozora gasped, steadying herself, while looking down.

"Yeah..." Imawa replied looking beneath her as well, "The second dimension has reopened."

Beneath their feet the white never-ending floor was translucent, showing a hazy picture of the first dimension.

"It doesn't feel right." Aozora remarked, concerned for her people.

"Then we need to go."

With that, Aozora's body began to whisk away with the wind, slowly diluting her color and solidity. Once she had fully dispersed into the wind, Imawa disappeared in a flash and swirl of brightly colored flames after her.

x

When Imawa landed, she felt a little confused,

"Aozora...I thought you were taking us to Konoha."

"Me too..."

They had landed in a gigantic crater. Not one sign of life. When Imawa turned around to observe the other side her face paled.

"This _is_ Konoha."

Aozora whipped around and they both gazed forlornly at the faces carved into stone on the cliffside. The first and second hokages had been destroyed. She did recognize Minato and Tsunade, but that did not soothe her much. Konoha had gone through so many leaders in such a short time period.

"Look for the Uchihas, Imawa."

Imawa nodded and touched her forehead and after a few moments she fell to the floor, weeping.

"There are only...four Uchiha left," the dark haired woman choked out, "Four! This is _**my**_ village, I helped build it. Those were _**my**_ sons I gave up to those stupid brothers...and now there are only four...and their blood, so diluted I can barely feel them," she spat.

Aozora turned the other way out of respect as Imawa sobbed. Her people were already dead, her village already destroyed, she knew how her partner felt. She touched her hand to her own forehead.

"There is someone not far from here who is directly half of the Uzumaki clan."

Aozora hugged the crouching figure of Imawa, " I know, I know its painful...I'll be back, and I'll tell you everything I find out"

"Be fast, Aozora. Uzumaki and Uchiha's numbers have been dwindled down into nothing...that does not just _happen_ considering their lineage. I can literally _smell _war."

Imawa stood up and her blood red ceremonial robes faded away to reveal a modern ANBU outfit with a dark blue hood and matching armor. A giant Uchiha symbol presented proudly on the back of her white vest.

"We need to look more like these creatures, Aozora."

Aozora nodded and her own robes faded to a matching outfit with orange hood and armor and let her body meld with the wind.

x

When she reappeared she found herself near a ninja base. She easily slipped pass the guards and made her way to her target. She stopped before a tent and slowly unzipped the flap. When she peeked inside she saw a young boy with blonde hair snoring away.

Aozora was instantly in love. A wave of pride surged through her as she stepped inside and sat at the edge of his cot. This is my kin, Aozora, thought fondly. So he's a vessel, she thought. She touched his hand and said warmly,

"Naruto."

Aozora moved on top of him as if to pin him down, but did not touch him. She inhaled deeply and then touched her forehead to his.

x (A few Minutes Before) x

The Uchihas hadn't been seen for a few weeks now, and Naruto and Sakura grew antsy. Neither of them had spoke of their conversation, but it weighed heavily on both of their minds.

Would they be technically betraying their village? Even if their was no physical village to betray, just the idea of one?

Both of them were not aloud to leave the village. This bothered Naruto more than anyone because this war had him weaved in and out of it in ways he didn't know. This was about the world, but it was about him too. Didn't he have a right to at least help?

The ninja was laying face down on his bed for some time, depressed. After what seemed like an eternity, he found himself laying in his mind near the tailed beast.

Kyuubi was curled up in his consciousness, no longer caged. He was licking his paw before he noticed the blonde.

"_Naruto."_

"...what?"

"_I think leaving would be in your best interest. These humans...don't realize the magnitude of what is happening. I'm not even sure, honestly."_

"Kurama?" Naruto questioned, wondering where he was going with this.

Kyuubi sighed and laid his head back down before continuing, "_Though I have been around for a long time...the man who made me, The Sage of the Six Paths, had been around longer than any of you could imagine. Life did not start from him, though he did start _this_ life."_

"This life? What do you mean?" Naruto asked, now in front of the fox.

"_This has happened once before_," Kyuubi spoke, suddenly feeling overwhelmingly sleepy.

Naruto got up and ran to the fox who's eyes were fluttering closed and shook his paw,

"What do you mean it has happened before? Damn fox!" Naruto yelled desperately.

"_Uchiha..._" Was all Kyuubi could get out before sleep claimed him.

x

Naruto awoke with a start. He delved within himself to visit kyuubi.

"What the hell was that?"

Kyuubi lazily opened one eye at him,

"What was what, kit?"

Naruto scoffed and crossed his arms. Kyuubi eyed him wearily.

"Its no use Naruto. It seems_ she_ doesn't want me to tell you yet."

"What..?"

"My advice? Leave. And be careful."

Naruto stared at kyuubi and growled, frustrated. When he came to, he found Sakura sitting on his bed.

"Sakura-chan! Why are you here?"

Sakura looked at him, "I came here because I couldn't sleep to talk to you...but when I came in, there was a woman hovering over you."

"What?!" Naruto yelled, face flushed red.

Sakura recounted what happened.

x Sakura's Flashback x

Sakura couldn't sleep. The state of the shinobi world and the lack of interest in progress from the elders had been eating away at her. She slipped on her shoes and walked to Naruto's tent, wishing to confront him with her thoughts, but when she entered she was presented with a shocking image.

There, on top of Naruto, was one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. She was tan like Naruto, but her hair was long, spiky, and seemingly every shade of purple and blue at the same time, every once and while shimmering gold and silver. Her irises were such a light blue they were almost white, and Sakura was stricken. How could someone seem so different and beautiful all at the same time.

The thing that caught her attention the most were the tears running down the woman's face, and the soft sobbing sounds she made as her body shook.

"My people...had such beautiful souls," She said as she cried, sorrow etched deeply into her face.

An intense wave of empathy and compassion washed over Sakura; so intense that she felt she may hurl. She had never felt such a strong emotion.

"Its because you are of me," the mysterious woman spoke, startling Sakura.

The woman finally turned to look at the pink medic-nin,

"I can't believe I couldn't sense you," she said, smiling ruefully, her tears glistening in the moonlight causing her to look even more strange.

The ninja in Sakura finally emerged and she grabbed a kunai,

"Why couldn't I sense your Chakra? What is your purpose?"

The woman smiled smiled,

"Because, Haruno, I don't _have_ Chakra."

Before Sakura could gather herself, the woman began to laugh, the breeze picking up. Her body began to dissolved into the wind and Sakura found herself alone with Naruto.

x End Flashback x

"You mean...there was a woman on top of me?" Naruto grinned, blushing, scratching his head.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Sakura said quietly, a vein throbbing in her forehead, "Is that **all **you got from that?"

Sakura punched Naruto in the face.

As he whined about he now bruised and bloody cheek, Sakura realized she needed to get to the bottom of this.

Leaving Konoha was becoming more realistic and logical with each passing moment.

x

The next day, Sakura was bustling about the ninja base, healing wounds here and there. While she was directing another medical ninja on how to heal a wound, she spotted Shikamaru talking with Shiho, the swirled glasses kunoichi from the cryptanalysis squad.

Sakura excused herself and ran over to them,

"Hey Shikamaru, can I ask you a question?"

Shikamaru sighed, If you have to."

"Ok," Sakura started, "Have you ever heard of a kunoichi who has long hair that is like...blue and purple at the the same time and it glittered?"

Shikamaru just stared at her.

"What the hell are you talking about? I have never heard of anyone like that. Why do you ask?"

"Oh...no reason," Sakura trailed off, muttering to herself as she walked away.

"That was odd," Shikamaru said.

Shiho said nothing, but looked at the retreating back of Sakura intently.

x

When the sun had set, Sakura finally managed to get away from the medic tent. But beforre she could even relax, she felt someone at the door of her tent.

"May I come in?"

"Yes but please make it fast, I'm done healing..." Sakura trailed of as Shiho came into her tent holding a huge, rusty looking book.

"Shiho-san?" Sakura questioned, very surprised by the visit; they had only spoke a few times.

Shiho sat the book on Sakura's cot and opened it up,

"I'm so sorry to disturb you, Sakura-san. But earlier today when you mentioned the kunoichi, I did remember coming across someone like this."

She finally found the right page and beckoned Sakura over. When she studied the page she saw a picture of a painting with three people in it. The main body was male and the other two were pretty small in the background. Sakura noticed that the smaller of the three had long hair, just like the woman who had been on top of Naruto.

"Now Sakura-san, as you must know, nobody exactly knows of our origins. This is the earliest known painting in our shinobi world. The man is the Sage of the Six paths, thought nobody knows who the two in the back are."

Sakura gazed in wonderment. What could this possibly mean?

"I'll leave this book to you. I hope it will help you with whatever you need, Sakura-san."

With a little bow Shiho began to leave.

"Wait, Shiho-san. Thank you very much, but can I ask where this book is from?" Sakura asked, pining for answers.

"Oh, its one of the few books we have from the Uchiha clan's personal collection."

x

"Sakura-san, I'm not entirely sure that you need my assistance," Sai said blandly. He we sitting on a giant piece of rubble, watching Sakura pick up and throw massive boulders.

"Shut up, Sai," Sakura replied. They were where the Uchiha compound used to be looking for their underground chamber.

"Neji-san would have been much better suited for this," Said spoke once again.

"Sai, please shut the fuck up."

Sai could only remain silent for so long. After about ten minutes, Sai started to speak again.

"Sakura-san-"

"What is it now, Sai?" Sakura growled, vein throbbing.

Sai only smiled that irritating smile and pointed down. Sakura followed and saw that the giant boulder Sai was sitting on was covering a rectangular hole. A hole with a little Uchiha fan near its entrance.

"Bingo!" Sakura smiled triumphantly. Sai jumped off before she picked up the giant piece of rubble and threw it.

"Keep watch for me!" Sakura said cheerfully before she started to descend.

..

x

What Sakura found depths of the chamber was a huge room, with bookshelves full of books from wall to wall. While excited, she also found this discouraging.

"How the hell am I going to find what I need..." She muttered to herself, walking to the bookshelves trying to read the markers indicating their contents.

"What could you possibly need from here, Miss Haruno?"

Sakura snapped to the direction of the voice. In the very corner was a desk with a man sitting, facing the wall. She saw an akatsuki cloak draped over the chair.

"Itachi..." she breathed, trying to not sound fearful. She clutched the book Shiho lent her in one hand and a kunai in the other.

"Don't worry, I didn't come he to fight anyone today, " Itachi said, not bothering to turn around but chose to raise his book up, "I wanted to read."

They stood there for what seemed to be a millennia.

"Naruto told me the truth about you." Sakura said suddenly.

Itachi shifted and she finally saw part of his face, staring at her intently. He smacked his book shut.

"I guess it can't be helped."

Sakura tensed as he stood up and she took a few steps backwards as he began to walk towards her. When her back hit the wall she realized there was nowhere to go; she could only watch him as he got closer.

He is rather handsome, Sakura thought. Up close she realized that he was much more attractive than Sasuke, even though she would never admit it. Maybe it was the newfound knowledge of the true nature of his character that made his presence affect her so severely.

"W-why are you here?" Sakura stuttered, trying to break the tension.

"I just felt like coming...I can not explain it. Not that I need to, I _am_ an Uchiha after all." Itachi stated plainly.

Sakura breathed sharply as Itachi finally drew closer to her, until their bodies were touching. His body was warm, witch surprised her for some reason. He leaned down and said into her ear,

"I wonder if you understand why I did it..."

She blushed furiously, looking at his eyes, all black and filled with emotion, though she didn't know what emotions they were. Why am I behaving this way, Sakura thought to herself, I love Sasuke-kun...

Still too close for comfort, he gently pried the book from her fingers and stepped away looking at the book.

"Follow me."

He quickly walked into the maze of bookshelves and she followed suit, still shaken by his strange behavior.

Itachi led her to the back of the chamber, to the oldest looking bookshelf she had seen.

"In my younger days, I read quite a lot of these books myself, "Itachi stated, "I can only imagine why you are interested in these...but you should find what you need here."

With that he walked away quickly, leaving a very confused and grateful Sakura in his wake.

x

Naruto was trying his very hardest to read the books Sakura had dumped in his tent. She was sprawled out on the floor, reading herself.

He began to doodle on the page he was on but began to read the caption on accident.

"Ne, Sakura-chan. Read this!" He threw the book to her.

Sakura glanced at the cover. No decoration, not even a name. She open to where Naruto indicated and found a picture of the same painting from Shiho's book.

She cleared her throat and began to read.

"It is said, that the time in which we live is the _second life._ Long before this Shinobi world, even before our beloved Sage of the Six Paths, two beings were created. Once completely evil, the other completely good. The two could not leave each other alone, and they wrought the world with destruction, neither stronger than the other. Just as the world was on the brink of destruction, the Old Ones created a man whom could tame them. A man who we now know to be the Sage. He defeated the both of them, and punished both eternally. It is said that the roam this world, even to this day...looking for a purpose. "

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other, not sure what to think. Sakura continued,

"Legend has it that the two lurk in the shadows of our world, fighting in our wars and building our cities. They were supposedly born in where Uzushiogakure currently resides. It is rumored that this is their haven, and are credited to the creation of it. The oldest painting known to man can be found in this city, and the two figures in the back are speculated to be the two entities."

They sat in silence, absorbing the information.

"Sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me," Naruto said, scrunching up his face.

"The woman who was over you looks just like the woman in this painting. It might sound crazy...but reviving dead ninja to fight a war sounds just as ridiculous. Anyway, this Uzushiogakure sounds like a good place to visit...we can make it our base when we leave..." Sakura trailed off.

More silence. Naruto glanced at Sakura. While he was excited to leave, he didn't know where to start. Maybe this was Sakura's idea of a lead, an excuse to finally go.

"Well then lets go!" Naruto smiled widely.

x

As the mask of deception falls off the face of humanity

Unveiling the grim reality of duality

In which everyone is a casualty, no one will be exempt

Truth has many shades

It's not a matter of black and white, but gray

Although many, we are one, so in the final analysis

Could it be we are fighting a war that can't be won?

x

I pretty much do what I want. LOL! Anyway, this will be an epic/romance fic...hopefully. There is a good chance I'll keep revising this.

Yo mother bitch,

Ramenism


	2. Information Overload

**Blue Skies**

_Chapter Two: Information Overload_

As the war between light and darkness continues

Heroes and villains become harder to identify

Kindred spirits separated at birth

Fighting for their place in time to be solidified

The clock ticks faster and faster

While time runs a marathon in this Babylon

But see, the end is only the beginning

The beginning of the calm before the storm

x

They had made camp a little ways away from Konoha, making sure to cover their tracks. It had been a few days before Aozora had worked up the courage to tell Imawa what had happened to her clan.

Imawa had been meditating when Aozora relayed the information to her. She transferred Naruto's memory and knowledge to her directly after she broke the news. Imawa opened her eyes and stared at nothing in particular.

"Massacred?" Imawa inquired, "Because they were going to betray the village?"

Imawa's eyes began to glow red, her hair began to levitate due to her aura solidifying.

"_That _is what my people turned into? They wanted to disrupt the very same village their ancestor helped create?!" Imawa was yelling by now, completely furious, "Am I not in their books? Am I not the one they should respect 'for I gave them _LIFE_!?"

In a fit of rage, the old Uchiha pulled a tree from its roots and threw it, panting.

Aozora watched in silence as Imawa's aura began to turn into flames. It had been so long since she had seen her angry. It had been so long since either of them had delt with such discourse. It was like pulling the stitches out of an infected wound. A wound that could never close.

"Aozora..." Imawa started, "Come. We need to find this 'Itachi'. I must know the truth. We have given up everything, but I will not give up my entire clan!"

Imawa sat on the ground and put her hands together, trying make her mind reach those with her blood.

"Well?" Aozora asked.

"He's close."

x

Itachi had been walking in the forest, contemplating his time with the pink haired kunoichi. She was foolish but he could not force her out of his mind.

Itachi stopped dead in his tracks, feeling a presence behind him.

He turned around slowly, wondering what type of ninja was after him. Had he been anyone else, he probably would have gasped. He was graced with the presence of a noble looking woman in ninja gear that looked new.

"Itachi," The woman growled.

Itachi eyed her carefully. She was tall and built. He took note of her sharingan but the most peculiar aspect of her was her long black hair. Her hair was not just black, it was the color of a black hole, it did not even shine in the sun.

It was nothing. It was sinister. Then suddenly it dawned on him.

"Uchiha...Imawa? Itachi asked quietly, disbelieving himself.

"Ah...so it seems I am recollected _somewhere._" She spoke, visibly irritated, "Come here boy, I need to see our story."

_Boy? _Our story? The legends can't possibly be true. they were just books. Despite himself, Itachi walk towards her, not able to look away.

He stopped in front of her, waiting for her next move.

My descendants are lovely, she thought sadly. Imawa connected there foreheads.

Itachi sighed, completely taken aback by the peace he felt by her touch. She was warm like a mother, and gentle in his mind.

After a few minutes, Imawa pulled away violently, face incredulous.

"This...is complete mind fuckery."

Imawa turned away from him, in an attempt to hide her distress. Tears built up in, but she decided not to cry...she felt that the man behind her would not understand her ability to express emotion in this now cold and distant place...the severity of the situation, the grievance it caused. Her clan- and his - were created from the children she was not aloud to raise and had to watch destroy themselves...

You did the right thing, Itachi," She praised him, turning around, "I would have done nothing different but..."

Itachi swallowed, not sure how to react. He did notice her close her eyes and begin to glow with a sickening red color.

When she opened her eyes she looked truly evil, and Itachi felt fear for the first time in a long time. Her eyes were completely black with red stomas swirling leisurely.

"_I must find this Uchiha Sasuke_," Imawa growled, voice deep, "_And I will make him pay._"

She then bit into her thumb and performed a summoning jutsu. In a flash a giant wolf was before them. Big and black and terrible, black oozing from his mouth, his three eyes blinking in different times.

"Imawa!" Aozora warned, jumping from a tree. She ran to where Itachi was and pushed him backwards. He gracefully landed a few feet back from where the two woman were.

"Imawa!" Aozora yelled again, voice pleading, "Calm down!"

_"He destroyed my clan!" _Imawa yelled, "_And that cannot got unpunished! Now Deimos, lets go find that wretched bastard!"_

Imawa jumped onto Deimos and they disappeared in a flash of flames. Imawa could no longer control herself. She had not destroyed in so long. The hate she could feel, it was almost rolling off the poor land. So much had changed since she had been there last!

Itachi stood up and stared at the other woman who had appeared. He could hear her sniffling. Kunoichi are trained to not cry, he thought to himself, why can she not control herself.

Aozora wiped her eyes. Why had any of this happened? This world had been so peaceful. She felt sorry for this Sasuke boy, from now on his life was not going to be easy.

"I'm sorry for pushing you." she blurted out, voice uneven.

Itachi stood there, unsure of what to do. Ninja didn't normally cry so openly, especially the ninja he was acquainted with.

Her eyes pierced him when she turned around,

"I'd stay and explain but we'll both die if we aren't near the other. Forgive me."

And with that, she ran off.

x

Sasuke's head snapped up as he heard the trees rumbling from a distance. It bothered him that he could hear it, but not feel it.

Before he knew what was happening he was knocked to the ground by a huge surge of heat. When he looked up he was faced with a giant wolf, black sludge oozed from the spaces between its teeth and fell onto Sasuke's face.

"That's enough, Deimos." he heard a voice command. The wolf snarled and broke eye contact, allowing Sasuke to get up. He immediately activated his sharingan and prepared for battle against his enemy.

After a few moments he realized he wasn't being attacked and finally took notice of Imawa standing in front of him. He saw the red stoma in her eye,

"You! Why do you have the Sharingan?"

Imawa didn't answer. She appraised the young man before her, mildly surprised by how put together he looked, and also surprised by his gull.

"How rude," She drawled, "I am an Uchiha, of course."

By this time, Sasuke had regained his composure.

"You're lying. My brother killed them off. I saw it."

She rolled her eyes at his arrogance. Without warning she slammed her hand onto his forehead and grabbed his scalp. As she let his memories flow through her, she began to shake with emotion, anger began build in her gut. It must be genetic, Imawa thought bitterly, this inherent need to be bad. The flames surrounding her licked Sasuke's skin and burned him, causing him to cry out.

Completely disgusted with Sasuke she grabbed onto his neck with her other hand and let his forehead go.

"What did you to me," Sasuke hissed, completely in rage by his lack of control. She was looking straight into his eyes and his sharingan was not affecting her at all.

Imawa was very insulted by this entire situation. This..._thing_ that was wiggling in her grip was a disgusting piece of trash. She placed her free hand over his eyes and Sasuke began to scream in agony as she slowly drew a deep red ball of flame from his head.

When she was finished, she let him drop to the ground and Sasuke could feel that something was wrong immediately. He couldn't' activate his sharingan.

Imawa smiled wickedly at him holding the flame close to her eyes and laughed.

"This is what makes you an Uchiha...and I have taken it away."

She gave Sasuke one last withering look, brought the flame to her mouth, and swallowed the flame in one swift movement.

Imawa kicked him in the face, and her smiling eyes were the last thing he saw before he slipped into black

x

"That was cruel." Aozora berated her companion as they rested near the late Uzushiogakure.

"How can you say that after what he's done. I showed you everything," Imawa retorted, brushing her hair.

"We promised not to fight anymore."

"No, Aozora, _you_ promised. But that could not be considered a fight...it was more like like a...massacre."

Imawa snickered at her own sick humor.

"And you wonder why the Uchiha clan is all types of fucked."

"In retrospect, I'm not really surprised anymore," Imawa mused, becoming serious, "I do personify all that is evil. I suppose they can't help it, its in their _bones _to cause chaos. Itachi is a very surprising black sheep."

Aozora studied Imawa for a second, and he tone softened.

"I see your hair is longer."

Imawa sighed,

"I took away some of his hate for him. I could not leave his soul in that state. It would have been irresponsible of me."

Aozora let them fall in silence. Her mind wondered to her dear Naruto. How she longed to interact with him, to love him. She called Deimos over to her to lean on while she thought of all the information they had gathered.

"We need to decide the best course of action."

Imawa joined her, laying on the back of her wolf. They had a pretty good picture of all that had went on since they were gone.

"Agreed. I think we can both guess that your brood with eventually come here to seek answers after that stunt you pulled. We should just wait until then. Work on healing our energy," Imawa chattered excitedly.

Aozora groaned. She hated doing slow exercises with Imawa. Sure, they helped her energy flow but if she didn't execute a move in just the most particular way, Imawa bitched her out. Imawa studied Aozora for a moment and said slowly,

"So...tell me what do you think of Madara's involvement."

She heard Aozora inhale sharply.

"I don't know what to think. Those are the holes in our information; holes that I don't think Obito or Madara would be willing to give it up easily."

Imawa glared at Aozora's vague response.

"What do you think Madara is after," She pressed on.

"I don't want to talk about him," Aozora said robotically.

Imawa frowned and realized that was the end of the conversation. It was not exactly the two Uchiha's fault that they came out the way they did. Her dear friend had always been too soft for her own good.

When Imawa had first came into existence, she was literally a condensed body of hatred and terror. Aozora was created milliseconds after and was the embodiment of all that was good, and the chaos and destruction that reigned the first age was not easily forgotten.

Only after the Old Ones created the Sage was the world at piece. He held them down and forced their souls to merge into each other, successfully balancing them. Afterwards the Old Ones punished them severely for their discord. Giving birth to the sack of fur she was currently resting on was only the beginning of the torture.

She digressed. It would seem that Sasuke was repeating history...but there was no reason, no cause.

And that was unforgivable.

x

"Come _on_, Naruto!" Sakura whined playfully. She and Sai were tidying up the last of Naruto's small apartment for their departure.

"Sakura-chan, I don't know what to pack," Naruto yelled, panicked. So far he had thrown his green frog stuffed animal and his walrus hat but that was it.

"What am I supposed to bring?!"

Sakura rolled her eyes and threw another duffle bag at him,

"Just pack two, you never know when we'll be back."

After about fifteen minutes and a few break downs later; Sakura, Sai, and Naruto were ready to leave.

In a moment of weakness, Sakura asked softly,

"Are we sure we're doing the right thing."

"Of course, Sakura-chan. This is our village, and it is our duty to protect it. Especially if I'm going to be the next Hokage."

Sakura smiled. Naruto had such hope. She on the other hand was worried about Tsunade recovering from her body being torn to pieces and whether the hospital could handle it without her.

Thoughts of Itachi suddenly flooded her mind. If he could do _that_ for Konoha, she could do this. Sakura's eyes widened as she realized what she was thinking about.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, half smiling.

"Oh!" Sakura gasped, "No, sorry, I'm fine. We're doing the right thing."

Getting out of Konoha was an easy feat. Sakura had simply accepted a D class mission in some honky tonk town to protect their field some hungry deer. Of course the village leaders questioned her, but she told them that team seven needed a break, that Naruto was going to go crazy and he needed to get out, if only for a few days.

"No one will know," She had told them.

They were now running in top speed. The trees were starting to turn yellow and orange with the coming of fall and Naruto was ecstatic to breathe the air of a free world.

"It should takes us about a week of nonstop traveling to get there," Sai called out to them.

x

"It seems our little Sasuke has lost his Sharingan." Madara said lazily.

Obtio said nothing, but nodded; shocked.

The cave they were in was moist and cold, and he couldn't help shivering. Madara was an amazing sight to behold no matter who you were.

"I should like to find out how this came to be."

Obito nodded once more, receiving the hint. Things had been going not so well lately. Itachi had somehow escaped his grasp when the Edo tensei was released.

Madara only grunted and settled into the wall, making a serious attempt at sleep.

x

Naruto started the fire at their makeshift campsite. Sakura was humming to herself while reading a book and Sai was drawing.

He sighed and tucked himself into his sleeping bag. His thoughts wandered to Sasuke for the one millionth time since the Uchiha had left.

Sometimes, when he was blue, he wished he _could_ leave Sasuke alone and not bother with him. But something drove him, something he couldn't name made him not give up. How he longed to see his best friend again.

It would ease the ache in his heart just a little to know he was happy.

Naruto laughed at himself sadly before drowning his own emotions out with fuzzy feelings of his parents.

On the inside, Kyuubi listened intently to Naruto's wishes and feelings, feeling rather hopeless himself.

He knew the kid could do it, there was no doubt in that. But his level of sanity when this was all over? Not guaranteed.

Kyuubi could only barely recall Imawa and Aozora. Their souls had such a life force that did not exist anymore. His power had been rekindled by the presence of Aozora, but he could not share his comfort with his boy.

When Aozora met him those weeks ago, she had made him promise that he would keep her a secret until she saw it fit to unveil herself.

He had argued with her of course. He had a better understanding than most of the current happenings in this world. Naruto had been told nothing for almost 17 years, did he not deserve to know she who brought him, his mother, and his people to this world?

But the stupid woman had remained adamant. Regardless, Kyuubi could feel that this time she was waiting for was coming close. He had been secretly pushing Naruto into the correct direction he needed to be. Ever so slightly so the other two wouldn't notice.

Kyuubi closed his eyes and used his chakra to lull the three of his kits to sleep.

x

If Sasuke thought he felt lost when his family had been massacred or when he had found out the truth about Itachi...he had not yet known what it was like to lose the one thing that set him apart from the rest.

He was still laying where that woman left him. It could have been hours, days, or weeks and he wouldn't have known. There was this pain in chest, so _acute_ in nature that he was sure he was going to die.

Was this how Naruto felt everyday?

Tears streamed down his face. What was he then? Was he an Uchiha without the sharingan? He knew he was no match for Naruto or his brother and anyone.

He literally had no one. Juugo and Suigetsu were off somewhere. He had tried to kill Karin **and** Sakura. His own brother didn't even agree with him despite how much Konoha had fucked up. He didn't even want to think a single thought about the blonde haired blunder that would **not leave him alone.**

And in the sanctity of his fragile mind, with the vast and endless universe staring down at him, he finally had a bitter taste of how insignificant he was.

He was no one.

x

Aozora tried to be patient as the duo waited for Naruto. She had explored the ruins of Uzushiogakure enough to make her thoroughly depressed .

Currently, she was inspecting her tarot cards, attempting to note any abnormalities for their pictures changed with the times. All of her cards had faded to grey, which was not a good sign.

She had no one to to practice with (she couldn't very well predict her own or Imawa's futures) and she wasn't even sure if her medium was alive anymore.

She felt a sting of pang as she thought of her medium, and the woman she received it from.

_Haruno-sensei_, Aozora thought sadly. During that time, Haruno-sensei had been _the _greatest fortune teller to date. Her skills, beauty, and intelligence had won over the heart of Uzushio and she had been next in line to become the second Ijikage.

"Stop thinking, Aozora, if it is only going to make you sad." Imawa said, in the middle of her chi healing.

The blue and purple haired woman only sniffed in response.

Imawa stopped what she was doing and plopped down next her friend, relishing in the soft grass of the clearing.

She grabbed the cards out of Aozora's hand and inspected them.

"I was thinking, you know, that after this is all said and done we could maybe rebuild this village."

Aozora only grunted and leaned back on a tree.

"How old are we supposed to be, anyways?" Aozora murmured, changing the subject.

"Quite old, I'd imagine," Imawa replied, beginning to do the math, "Technically we are a couple hundred years old, give or take."

"Well I _know_ that. I mean...I've been around for so long and I look like I'm barely a day over twenty. And lately...I feel like I'm not even that old."

Imawa whistled for Deimos before she replied.

"We are not gods, Aozora. Though it may seem that way sometimes."

Aozora began to cry again,

"How I long to die."

Imawa hugged her and rubbed her back,

"One day, Aozora, we won't have to be here anymore. We'll die together just like we were created together. But until then, we can only do our duty. I need you, y'know!"

By this time Imawa was crying herself.

x

Aozora hid behind a tree quietly as Naruto, Sakura, and Sai walked by. She felt such joy from seeing them. She didn't quite know how to introduce herself yet, so she chose follow them as the ventured into the ruins of Uzushio.

"This place...is beautiful," Sakura gasped, staring out to the clear blue water. Even the haphazardly strung about pillars from the old village were a sight to behold. Everything was green and lush, the flowers such exotic colors.

"This is where my family is from," Naruto said proudly, his chest puffed out slightly. The air was so much different here than in Konoha. There was not hate and no war. It was all flowers and sunshine, literally!

The three of them pranced around, enjoying their brief time of innocent fun.

Aozora watched them intently from her perch in a nearby tree. She could feel the love and anguish of Kushina, the pride of parenthood, and the solemnity of what was to come in one instance.

she nearly doubled over at the feeling. Her affinity for predictions had served her well, but more than once had she longed to live in blissful ignorance.

As the three explored, Sakura noticed a peculiar slab standing straight out of the ground near the edge of the water.

"I wonder..." She trailed off before bounding near it, Naruto and Sai followed suit.

Sakura recognized the painting as soon as it was in sight.

"This is it!" She called to her teammates. To her disappointment though, there was no further text to illuminate their situation any farther.

Aozora figured this was a good time as any so she appeared through the wind in front of the painting and smiled nervously,

"Um, I can answer any of your questions..."

x

As the mask of deception falls off the face of humanity

Unveiling the grim reality of duality

In which everyone is a casualty, no one will be exempt

Truth has many shades

It's not a matter of black and white, but gray

Although many, we are one, so in the final analysis

Could it be we are fighting a war that can't be won?

_x_

And there you have it folks. Chapter two. So...I'm having a real difficult time deciding how to categorize this story.

This is seriously like, the first un-humorous thing I've ever written. I'm hoping some people actually read it and stuff. The next few chapters will focus more on cannon characters, and cannon characters interacting with non cannon. Sorry if the non cannon characters seem like godmods at the moment. Trust me. **They aren't.**

Buddha help me. .

LOVE,

Yo lady princess bitch,

Ramenism


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